Catcher and delivery system for railways.



I No. 896,024. PATIENTEID AUG. 11, 1908.

M. o. KEEFE. 0110113111111) DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16, 1907. v

4SHEETS-SHEET 1 mn m" ghgzajx 6 y M 1M No. 896,024. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

V M. G. KEEFE.

CATGHER AND DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION-FILED 15. 10. 16, 1907.

'4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. G. KEEFE. OATGHER AND DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY S.

APPLICATION FILED 1030.16, 1907.

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3. J Q w 129.5,

No. 896,024. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908;

1 M. c. KEEPE- GATGHER AND DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.16, 19 07.

. '4 SHEETS-SHEET 4."

sATEs Paar UFFXQE.

MIcHAEL o. KEEFE, OF SALT LAKE cITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR TO KEEFE CONSOLIDATED RAILWAY TIME "SAVING co, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

CATCHER AND DELIVERY SYSTEMFOR RAILWAYS To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .MICHAEL C. KEEFE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Salt county of Salt-Lake andv terns for Railways, of which the following is Fig. 13 is an .two positions, said positions a specification. 1

My invention relates to catcher and delivery systems for railways, and has for its object improvements in the devices for delivering articles to or receiving them from moving trains.

' In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus at the station, the lower portion of the apparatus being in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of the lower portion of Fig; 1. section on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan of the catcher located at the station. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an elevation of operating devices secured to the side of a train, said devices being shown in operative position. Fig. 7 is a similar View with the devices thrown out of operative position. Fig. 8 is a rear view of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a plan of the catcher fork used on the trains for catching rings from the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a modified formof Fig. 10. Fig. 12 isa section on line 12-12 of Fig. 9. enlarged detail of a portion of Fig. 12; and, Fig. 14 is a section on line 14-14 of Fig. 6. v

The device of the station consists of a base 20, upon which is mounted a standard composed of an outer member or tube 21 and an inner member or rod 22 and both mounted to rotate in bearings in the base 20.

' Secured to the tube 21 is a ring 23, on which is pivoted a lever 24 (see Fig. -5) which lever serves to rotate the tube 21.

Grooves 25 in the top part of the base 20 are arranged so that the lever 24 may drop into them and hold the standard in either one of being one-half rotation of the tube 21.

' ()n the inner side of the tube a key or lug 26 (see Fig. inner stem 22, ranged in two rows ono posite sides of the key 26. This key and tiese pins are so arra ed that when the-tube 21 is turned oneha llt revolution by hand,

21., is secured 3) and secured in the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 16, 1907.

Fig. 3 is the .in both directions. or tube 21 is in the position shown In Fig. 1,

are a series of pins 27, ar-

as described, from Patented Aug. 1 1, 1908. Serial No. 406,625.

one position to another, the key 26 engaging the pins 27, will cause the stem 22 to turn only one-quarter of a revolution.

On the standard 21 are three clamps 28, 29 and 30, which may be adjusted vertically on thes'aid standard by loosening the clam bolts and securing them at any desired position. Secured to the clamp 28 is a branch catcher or horn 3]., the branches of which extend laterally as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. These horns are for the purpose of catching the rings from a passing train, a horn enter-- mg a ring upon the train at the time the train passes. ring holders 32, provided with springs 33 for holding rings 34. These parts are so arranged that when a ring is pushed in between the springs 33, said s rings will hold the rings against a consirerable vertical strain, but the ring is easily removed by a lateral strain.

At the top of the standard and secured to the inner stem 22, is a lamp 35, provided with color lights facing in four directions. The glass which produces the color' of these lights is preferably of the same color on two opposite sides, and of a diiierent color on the two other opposite sides. is that when the stem 22 1s 1n oneposition, it shows a light of a particular color in both directions down the track. Whenthe stein has been moved through one-quarter of a revolution, a different colored light shows When the outer shell the device-would be in operative position for a train passing at the r ght of F 1g. 1, as shown. By means of the lever 24, the outer tube may be turned through onehalf of a revolution and the rings 34 and catcher 31, will be turned away from a passing train. In this turning of the outer shell through one-half of a revolution, the inner stem will be turned through onetion, as previously a difierent colored passing train. 1 of moving the catching or delivery devices ofthe station into an operative. position,

described, and will bring light into View from a results in automatically shifting the position of the light 35 so as to indicate to the engineer or theconductor of a passing train whether or not packages or articles are to be cred from. the station to the train.

The cooperating devices on the train condelivquarterpf a revolu- On the clamps 29 and 30 are The result of. this As thus made, the mere act ring holding device 38, which, except for the gle.

sist of a frame36, whichis secured to the side of the engine or one of the cars,'50, of the train and upon which are su ported suitable ring holding andring catc ng devices.

At the upper end of the frame 36 is a vertical'pivoting pin 37, upon which is secured a manner of securingit, is the same as the ring reviously described.

extends t rough an opening in the frame 36 and is pivoted to a link 39, by way of which the ring holding device 38 may be moved into or out of operative position.

At the lower portion of the frame 36 is a horizontal pin 40, to which is pivoted a fork 41, which fork is V-shaped and is bent around at right an les so that the plane of the V- is substantial y parallel to the axis of the pin 40. The rear portion of the fork 41 also extends through an o ening in the frame 36 and is pivoted to a llnk 42. A bell crank 43 is pivoted to the frame 36 at the point 44 and is connected to the links 39 and 42 so that by moving the bell crank by hand on its pivot, the ring holder 38 and the catcher 41 are both turned upon their pivots. The connections are such that when turned in one direction, both the ring holder and the catcher are in operative position, but when turned in the other direction, both are out of operative position. When in o erative position} the catcher lies horizonta ly, as shown in Figs. 9 and 14. When out of operative position, the catcher is in a vertical position as shown in Fi 7.

"The arms or branches of the catcher 41 have secured to them springs 43, which are' arranged as shown in Fig. 10. These springs incline inward so as to make a rentrant an- Tin springs are of different tension; those at the outer portion being of comparatively light tension and those at the lnner portion being comparatively stiff and of high tension. ranged so that each pair consisting of one spring from each branch, is of slightly greater tension than the next outer pair.

In operation the free ends of the springs engage a ring which pushes these springs inward and permits the ring to enter withln the V- of the catcher. Immediately upon the ring passing the sprin s, the free ends of the springs of opposite si es come a ain in contact with eac other as shown in ig. 10, and

prevent the ring from being dropped out accidentally. The ring is easily removed by simply forcing another portion of the ring inward through the sprin s so that the. rin rests'inside of the V- asif it had been place there from a direction perpendicular to the plane of the V- and without passing through the springs.

In Fig. 11 is shown a modified form of spring arrangement 44 for receiving and The springs are preferably arholding a ring. In this case there is but one spring, the two ends. of which are fastened-to t e opposite branch of the catcher and form the spring V- as shown.

What 1 claim is 1. A tubular standard, catching and delivering devices supported thereby, a second standard disposed within said tubular standard a signal lamp supported by said inner standard, means by which the respective standards may be rotated so as to bring the catching and delivering devices into or out of operative position and to dispose the signal lamp in position to indicate the position of the catching and delivering devices.

2. The combination with a revoluble standard, of a signal lamp carried upon the upper end thereof, a revoluble casing inclosing said standard, catching and deliverin devices carried by said casing, and means for operative connection between said standard and its casing whereby said standard may be affected by part of the motion of said casing.

3. The combination with a revoluble standard, of a signal lamp carried thereby, a revoluble tube incloslng said standard, catching and delivering devices carried by said tube, a projection extending inwardly from said tu e, and a member carried by said standard in the path of said rojection whereby said standard is affected y part of the motion of said tube.

4. In a catching and delivering device for railway stations, a standard consisting of an inner stem and an outer tube, a base upon which said standard is supported, a hand lever secured to said tube and serving as means by which an o erator may turn the tube, and connections between said tube and said .stem so arranged that a half turn of the tube causes a uarter turn of the stem. 7 5.' In a catc ing and delivering device for railway stations, a standard consisting of a erative connection between said tubes and standards so arranged that a half turn given to said tube causes a quarter turn to said standard. l I

6. In acatchin and delivering device, a rotatable standarr a pair of clamping members secured together and upon said standard and a ring holding device carried by one of said clamping members.

7. In a catchin and delivering device, a rotatable standar a plurality of clamps adjustably secured upon said standard, each of said clamps consisting of a pair of clamping members andmeans for securing the same together, and a ring holding device carried by one member of each of said clamps.

8. A catching device consisting of a standard two metalhc horns projecting upwardly and laterallyin opposite directions from said standard, means by which said standard rotatably mounted in said base, a collar on .may be turned to bring said horns toward or said standard, a tube surrounding said standaway from a passing train, and a signal lamp ard and resting on said collar, said tube being 55 for indicating the position of said horns. movable relative to said base and said stand- 9. The combination with a delivery ring ard asi nal' carried by said standard, catchand means for supporting it at a station, of a in an deliverin means carried by said catcher secured toa assing train, said catcher in e, means whereby saidstandard is aifecte sisting of a fork or initially enga in the ed by art of rotary movement imparted to 60 r -i1 and s rings extending inward y oln said tube, and means for locking said tube to eac ai'nio the fork. said base in predetermined positions. 7

10. In a ring catching and deliver-i de- 15. Ina catching and delivering device, vice for trains, a frame provided with orithe combination with a base Ofa, tube rotazontal and vertical pivoting pins,'a'catc hin tably mounted in and extending upwardly 65,

. fork mounted u on the horizontal in an from said base, catching and delivering having its branc ies extending latera ly in a means secured u on said tube, a standard roplane substantially (parallel'with the pin, a tatably dispose within said tube and in said rin holder mounts on the vertical pin, a base, a signal carried by said standard above belI- crank lever, link connections between said tube, an engaging memb'eron the inside 70 said bell-crank lever and said catching fork of said tube, and an engaging member on and ring holder, and means for moving said said standard in the path of said first named bell-crank lever to turi' thecatcher and the engaging member w ereby said standard is holder upon their pivots so as to .move them affected by part of rotary movement impart into and out of operative position. ed to said tube. 75

11. A V-shaped catcher having apluralit'y 16. In a catching and delivering device,

of inwardly inclined springs connected to the combination 'th a sup orting plate, of

each branch of the V, the inner springs being a delivering member pivote 'to said late, to

of greater tension than the outer springs. swing horizontally, a catching mem er piv- 12. In a catching and delivering device,. oted t0 said plate to swing vertically, exten- 80 I the combinationwith a base, of a tube rotasions on said delivering and catching memtably mounted in and extending upwardly bers extending through openings in said from said base, catching i and delivering plate,abell-crankleverpivoted to said plate,. means secured upon said tube, a standard roand links connecting said bell-crank lever tatably disposed within said tube and in said with said extensions.

base, a signal carried by said standard above 17. In a catching and delivering device,

said tube, and means whereby said standard the combination with a supiorting plate, of ote is affected by part of rotary movement im-- a delivering member piv to said late to parted to said tube. swing horizontally, a catching mem er piv- 13. In a catchin and delivering device, oted to said late' to swing vertically, exten- 9c the combinationwit abase,of a tube mountsions on said delivering and catchin mem- 40 edrotatablyin and extending upwardly from bers extending through openings in said 7 movement imparted to said tu said base, catching and delivering means selate, a bell-crank lever pivoted to said plate, cured uponsaid tube, a handle movabl selinks connectingsaid bell-crank leveriwith cured to said tube, means whereby said ansaid extensions, and a handle on said belldle may engage with said base at definite crank lever for moving the same to operate points to determine the osition of said tube, said catching and delivering members.

a standard rotatably disposed within said In testimonywhereof-I have signed my tube and in said base, a signal carried by said name to this specification in the presence of standard above said tube," and means wheretwo subscribing witnesses.

by said standard is afiected by part of rotary 1 MICHAEL O. KEEFE.

e. Witnesses: v

14:. In a catching and delivering device, H. T. SPIESBERGER, the combination with a base, of a standard Monnls G. LEONARD. 

